Chapter 33

“Haa... it was a grueling night.”

*Squeak, clack—.*

As soon as I entered the room, I flopped down on one side of the sofa.

A fatigue that felt like I was going to melt down.

I entrusted my body to the fluffiness.

A lingering sense of elation, and a sense of liberation.

‘Since possessing this body, today seems to have been the toughest.’

Whether it was due to muscle aches, my whole body throbbed.

Lying down, I sank into useless contemplation.

‘The ranch... I suppose it was resolved well.’

My mouth felt dry for no reason.

Over 200 survivors, easily passing the minimum.

Even though I had just set a great record that wasn't even achieved in the original work...

‘I couldn't save everyone.’

That thought ended up crossing my mind.

No matter how many bizarre things I pulled off, it was impossible to save everyone.

Those who were already corpses, or ghouls who couldn't live because the degree of damage was too severe.

Even feeding them Status Effect-Parrying was useless for such targets.

By the time I arrived at the ranch, it was already too late for them.

“Phew...”

I let out a complex breath.

Perhaps because I had seen so many crimson things all night, my mind and body were not at peace.

The people I couldn't save kept weighing on my mind, and I couldn't help but wonder if I could have done better.

‘It couldn't be helped.’

I wasn't a superman.

I certainly wasn't the Saint the people at the ranch looked up to.

Believing I can overturn every tragedy is arrogance, and despairing because I couldn't save everyone is impudence.

But humans are,

A species that is sometimes arrogant, and sometimes impudent.

Since I was also human, my nerves couldn't help but be affected.

“......”

A sinking silence.

While I was lying there like that, someone entered my vision.

A girl who poked her head out from behind the sofa. Silver hair. Red eyes.

Carmilla peeked around ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠as if reading my mood.

“Princess?”

“Viktor.”

When her name was called, the girl slyly sat down next to me.

Did she have something to talk about?

“You suffered a lot today.”

“I don't know how many times I've heard those words. You ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠worked hard too, Princess.”

“I can only say these words. How should I convey this gratitude...”

“Why do you say such words? It was an outing I forced you on today.”

“No... I learned and experienced so many things.”

Serious eyes.

In front of them, I couldn't harbor any playfulness.

The last successor of a fallen dynasty, and the master who witnessed her ruined kin.

“Only today did I realize. We are walking a very wrong path.”

“Princess.”

“The New Kingdom... Since they are a force led by the anti-human faction, I knew they would be hostile to humans, but to think they had fallen this far. Dignity has fallen to the ground, and there is no trace of resoluteness to be found. The sound of crying from the countless people suffering because of it...”

“It is not Your Highness's fault.”

“No... it is the kingdom this lady must bear. So, how could it not be my fault? This happened because I was weak, because I helplessly let my kingdom be taken away. I failed to carry on the legacy of peace my ancestors protected for hundreds of years.”

*Ddobak, ttobak—.*

Sentences let out as if reprimanding herself.

Though the pronunciation was bitter, it carried a sense of resoluteness.

“Everything must be set right. Before something truly irreversible happens.”

“......”

“Viktor.”

“Yes, Princess.”

“If... that day, in the sewer. If you hadn't saved me, this opportunity wouldn't have come. The opportunity to set everything right, I mean. I would have just been executed after having my kingdom stolen, remembered as the most powerless princess in history.”

A smile that was bitter, but not entirely so.

The corners of the girl's mouth curved affectionately.

“Thank you. For giving me the chance to stand up. For giving me the chance to be noble again.”

“I only did what a loyal servant ought to do.”

“And... you'll continue to stay by my side in the future, won't you? Thank you for that too.”

“Of course. I will be with you forever.”

“Mmm, umm...”

An answer without hesitation, the Princess seemed satisfied with it.

She tilted her body hesitantly, then stretched out her arms.

*Po-ok—.*

She hugged me tightly and then pulled away.

A quite bold contact for someone who had hesitated for so long.

I could even feel her curves through my thin ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠shirt.

Because vampires are a conservative race, I thought she would find expressing this difficult...

‘......No, she does find it difficult.’

As expected, her ears were clearly red.

Heat was creeping up on her cheeks as well.

Unable to meet my eyes, Carmilla stammered out only words of gratitude.

“Th... as a t-token of my gratitude...”

“Is that so.”

I didn't dare to mention it.

It wouldn't be good manners to tease her when she was trying so hard.

Instead of giving an answer back, I reached out and stroked her head.

“Viktor...?”

It was truly admirable.

Last night must have been a difficult time for her too.

She had to oppose her own kind and face all the ugliness they committed.

For Carmilla, who had high pride in her race, it must have been quite stressful.

Yet instead of sulking alone, she approached to convey her gratitude to her servant...

“Fufu.”

As expected, our Princess was someone worth serving.

I quietly stroked her silver hair.

Soft silk broke at my fingertips.

We shared a faint heat with each other.

“Uuu... touching this lady like this every time... You truly are a disloyal servant...”

A minor complaint returning.

Was the tension slowly unraveling, and sleepiness creeping in?

Carmilla was half-melted, pouring onto the sofa.

“You should sleep in your bed.”

“Mmm...”

I lifted the girl lightly.

After moving her to the bed, I covered her with a fluffy blanket.

When I turned off the magic lamp nearby, the bedroom became dark.

Inside, only her red eyes emitted a soft light.

Red eyes blinking as if sleepy, while seemingly exuding a mysterious aura into her dreams.

“Have a good dream.”

“Yes, you too, Viktor...”

Whether her stamina had completely drained, the Princess fell fast asleep as soon as she lay in bed.

I laughed softly and left the bedroom.

“I should pull myself together.”

I was troubled in many ways, but thanks to the Princess, I felt the gloominess recede a bit.

I sat on the edge of the living room table.

My hand naturally rummaged through the inventory.

I took out a few notebooks I had packed inside.

“Hmm...”

They were items I packed from the ranch.

Specifically, things I brought from the room of that bastard called the Director.

I turned the pages one by one, looking for information that might be helpful.

‘Is it mostly things I already know?’

Notebooks roughly written with upcoming events and plans.

As expected, the one responsible for the largest framework was the ‘Red Night’.

The disaster that would shoot down that sun and dye the sky crimson.

The event responsible for the fourth ruin in the original work.

‘I should slowly crush these one by one.’

I check the end of the notebook.

One sentence entered in code.

[This plan is recorded by Jersian.]

Jersian.

He was one of the core executives on the New Kingdom's side.

One of the figures who pushed forward this ‘Ranch Project’.

Since he held a lot of information, I had to shake him down.

‘Is he the next target.’

As soon as that thought occurred to me, a quest generated without fail.

Does this pop up as a quest judgment too?

Looking at the remaining period, there seemed to be no need to rush.

I could handle it at once, tying it together with the incident approaching soon anyway.

I finish my long thoughts about this and that.

“Is it already morning.”

I close the thick notebook.

The time when the dawn slowly breaks beyond the horizon.

I leaned against the sofa, falling into a languid sensation.

While I was chewing on that leisure.

“......Ah, come to think of it.”

One thing I had suddenly forgotten flashed through my mind.

Because my schedule was so tight, there was one thing I had just thrown aside...

“Exclusive weapon!”

The item I acquired after conquering the 70th floor of Purgatory, but couldn't use because the contamination level was too severe.

I had soaked it in the inner bathroom with holy water so it would boil down thoroughly.

Going through my schedule, I had already neglected it for several days.

I confirm the completion of refinement through the status window.

Afterward, steps heading straight to the second bathroom.

My breath was slightly fluttery.

Because it was the weapon I favored the most in my previous life.

In addition, a guy boasting an awesome combination with the Mask of the Evil God.

“Let's take a look...”

The bathroom.

The lid I had covered was present over the bathtub.

I gently reach out and remove that cover.

The moment the inside is revealed like that,

“......!”

*Hwaaaaak—.*

A dazzling streak of light filled the bathroom.